Automatic take-up bearing



I M0121, 1929- J. A. ANDERSON 1,713,638

AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP BEARING Filed Nov. 26, l1926 l /7 y a E@ @j Wfl/WWW A l Y Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES l 1.113,6@ PATENT oEFicE.

JOHN A. ANDERSON, OF GEN ESEO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BARTLETT S. GRAY, TRUSTEE, 0F GENESEO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC TAKE-UP BEARING.

Application led November 26, 1926. Serial No. 150,882.

This invention relates to a bearing having a member which is adjustable toward a rotating part journaled in the bearing, and is concerned more particularly with means associated with Vsaid adjustable member for advancing the same automatically as wear occurs upon the surfaces under friction. It may be employed advantageously for many purposes and particularly s0 in connection with a split bearing such as is commonly used in the connecting rods of many kinds of engines. In the description 'to follow reference will be made to the present bolt in relation to a conventional connecting rod, although, as above suggested, it may be applied to other uses as well.

It is an object of my invention to providesimple and effective means whichV will act automatically to takeA up bearing Wear occasioned through usage, thereby ypreventing development of pla or lost motion. The means devised for this purpose includes a bolt havingr an associated spring for imparting rotation thereto, and a wedge block which is advanced by the bolt against a movable bearing part whenever permitted to do so by the development of wear or play. The parts for thispurpose are also so combined and associated as to utilize forces of momentum which are generated in a'connecting rod bearing as the crank pin is revolved through its movement cycle. LAccording to this invention an advance of Athe adjustable bearing member to a new position will be maintained :against reactive forces of momentum occurring duringeach movement cycle of the rod. -Furthermore,

the parts Vwhich act to advance .such an adjustable bearing member are themselves prevented fromv developing play, so that pres- .A sure once placed upon the bearing member willJremain thereafter constant and nonvariable. Y

It is with objects suchvas these that the f Vpresent improvements Vare concerned. Other advantages are also derived from` the invention as will be pointed out hereinafter in the specification and claims; vAn`embodiment of my invention is set forth in the v accompanying .drawing` in the manner .fol.

Y' lowing:

. ing members 9and 10 crank pin 11 is l,the other as wear occurs.

ward and from the other; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing in .elevation the collar wherein is seated the bolt head.

As illustrative of one type of apparatus with which my invention ma be successfully used, I have shown in t e drawing a connecting rod A having at one end a strap 8 providing a mounting for a pair of bearin which isjournaled a crank pin 11. One end of the connecting rod may be recessed at 12 to partly receive apin A13 transversely related tothe crank pin 11 The pin 13 may lie in part within a similar recess 14 inthe proximate bearing member 9. The connecting rod end ifnay be slightly curved adjacent the bearing member 9 to permit of a slight oscillation of the .latter relative to the former about the axis of the pinlS.

The two` bearing members in which the journaled may be slightly separated 1n Aaccordance whereby the member'lO yis ad'ustable toward o 'bring' about this result, theouterface 15 of the bearing member 10 is inclined tofprovide la wedge face and may also be curved longitudinally of its inclination'about an axis which is substantially coincident with that of the pin 13. By thisfmeans the two bearing members 9 and 1() are permitted to swing upon this pin as an axis whenever required to do so inV order to adjust themselves to any variations in the position of the crank pin 11. Co-operating with the adjustable bearing member 10 is a wedge 'blockl which is fitted in place adjacent the end of the strap 8, and suitably rounded upon its face which is proximate tothe said bearing member to vpermit ofadjusting movements, as just de- Y scribed. Passing .through the wedge block is a bolt 17 which lis disposed parallel with with usual. practice the pin 13. The tivo ends of the bolt may extend through slots 18 on opposite sides ot the strap so as to be shitta le therein whenV ever required to do so by advancement of the Wedge block. The bolt 17 is provided with screw threads 19, preferably V shape in cross section and relatively steep-say 2O or 221/2 degrees pitch-or cooperation ivith threads ot similar form and pitch in the Wedge block,1G. These threads`19 terminate slightly inside of the opposite strap sides whereby the bolt 17 is capable ot a limited endivise movement, as required. I provide also a jaw 2O located Within a screw-threaded socket 21 which proceeds laterally from one side ot the Wedge block. llithin this socket; is a set screw 22 having a stud/23 adaptml to enter a'socket in the jaw whereby to advance the saine against the threads ot the bolt t?. A, spring25 associated with the set screw maintains thereupon a tension which acts to advance the jaw atany time that the bolt may develop a tendency toward endivise play Within the Wedge block. lt desired, acap 26 may be applied over Vthe open end of the socket 21 whereby to protect the set screw thereinl The bolt 1'7 is provided with a cone head n 27 adapted to seatwithin a collar 28 that is rested on the outer side of the strap 8.` Additionally the head 27 is Yformed with an axially pointed teat 29 which receives pressure from a spring- BO4 which may conveniently be in the form of a leat having'a mounting asat 31 on the strap 8. lt is desired that the collar ieiiiain stationary upon the strap, and for ensuriiig'this result the former may be provided with a rib 32 which seats Within a recess formed in the strap for its accommodation. y

. The tivo members9 and 1() forming the bearing herein described may oscillate about the pin 13 as anA axis Whenever variations occur in the transverse position ot the crank pin `11. f Their 'interengaging curved surf i'aces permit this oscillatory movement regardless of the adjusted positions o't these :parts As wear takesplace in the member f other.

"107 dueto -friction from the crank pin, the

Wedge block 16 is free to shift so as to advance this adjustable bearing member.

VVithr'a bearing of the kind contemplated installed inl the connecting rod, Vforces ot momentum proceeding alternately in opposite directions are developed during each movement cycle ot the crank pini As the laxial position of the bolt 17 remains sul stantially constant, there is a-tendency for itV torbe thrust endwise one Way, then the The presence ot the collar 2S in which the cone head of t-he bolt is seated `-Vprovides sutlicient frictionto resistreverse vmovement of the bolt in response. to. reactive forces of momentum.v lWith veach down-A ivard stroke fof the rod A the Wedge block Vvalue in service.

.exerted in a direction the same as is the tension ot' the spring V30, the bolt is tree to advance provided that there is any play bctween the bearing member 10 and the crank pin. It is not intended that the janv 20 should engage With the bolt with any great Vdegree oit' friction, but only that it should lhold the bolt iiimly against one side ot the threaded bore in theivedge block.

It is preferred that the bolt. threads have a V cross sect-ion, as shown vin Fig. 5t. as the chance ot end play is vthereby reduced Vto a minimum.

The entire assembly "of parts toi'iiiing'the present take-up mechanism is simple and inexpensive, and experience has proven its I desire, therefore, that protection should'be accorded as ydefined by the claims following in which are set torth the essentials or principles of this invention.

l claim:

1.` ln a bearing, the'combination ot a pair ot members one adjustable toward: the other and both adapted to journal between them a rotatable part, Wedge means associated With one'o'l2 said members to mover'the same toward the rotatable part, a bolt engaged With the Wedge means and each having cooperating threads so pitched as to produce relative movementin response to a torce directed endivise on the bolt, and a spring device exerting' an endivise tension on the bolt such as to produce a rotation thereof relative to said Wedge means, the associated bearing member being thereby held snugly Aagainst vthe .rotatable part, substantially as describedy 2. In abearing, the combination of a pair ot members betiveen ivhich may be jonrnaled a rotating part, lone ofl said members vbeing movable, toivard and from the other,

a- Wedge block co-operating With the movable member to Vadvance the same toward the rotatable part, a bolt'associated ivith the Wedge block, there being intei'engaging threads on the bolt yand block of a pitch suficiently steep to produce travel ot the block upon the bolt in response to pressure exerted endivise upon the latter, tension means llO a bolt disposed transversely of the rotating part and having an enlarged cone head, an

10 bolt and Wedge block being so pitched as to produce rotation of the bolt relative to the block when pressure is exerted endwise upon the bolt, the friction obtaining between the bolt head and its seat plus the pressure of the spring upon the bolt being sucient 15 to prevent retraction of the bolt in response to reactive forces working thereagainst, substantially as described.

yJOHN A. ANDERSON. 

